RESEARCHING MY IRISH NAMES AT THE DULUTH LIBRARY

I  love to spend time at the Duluth down town library. Not only am I surrounded with wonderful books but the walls that do not have books have art from Duluth's past.
Today I picked the book " Irish Family Names Arms, Origins and and Locations by Brian de Breffny to look through. This book was written in 1982.
I know of at least three Irish names in my family line. There is
Daly who was the biological father of my grandmother
Gallaher Gallagher my grandmother's mothers family name from her father side
Riordan my grandmother's mother's family name on her mothers side.

Daly the surname is among the thrity commonst in Ireland; it is most heavily distributed in Munster and then in Leinster with about half the number in that province living in Ulster and in Connacht.  The O'Dalaigh sept had its territory in Co. Westmeath in the barony of Magheradernon which now forms part of the baqrony of Moyashel and Magheradernon.  Branches of the sept established themselves in other parts of the country, notably in Co. Galway, Co. Clare, Co. Cavan and Co. Cork where they flourished and multiplied, accounting for the numerous Daly descendants to be found today - about 15 to 17,000 in Ireland, and many thousands more in Britain, Canada, the United States of America,m and other countries of the Irish diaspora.  There are a few O'Daly families in Ireland who have reassumed the preflix O' as the returns of the Registar of Births in the last century only show this surname in use without its prefix.

Gallagher the O Gallchobhair sept from which Gallagher famies are descended, held a territory in the south east of Co. Donegal in the baronies of Tirhugh and Raphoe with a sept centre at Barrynaglack near Stranorlar.  Although Gallagher and O' Gallagher rank among the twenty most commonest surnames in Ireland, the distribution is still markedly concentrated close to the original territory of the sept.  At the beginning of this century two fifths of all the Gallaghers in Ireland were still to be found in Co. Donegal.  Despite 20th century population movements this pattern is still notable, with a predominace of the name outside the capital, in Co. Donegal and the neighboring Derry, Tyrone and Sligo.

Riordan O'Riordan the O'Riordans are another family to have resumed the use of the prefix O', thus reversing the situation at the end of the last century when Riordans outnumbered O'Riordans.  They are still found mainly in Munster where the O'Riordain sept was located in Co. Tipperary. The townland of ballyreardon in Barrymore barony Co. Cork commemorates the home of a branch of the spet which established itself there.

I think that my great great grandmother Joanna Riordan came from Cork. The maritime county of Cork, in Munster, is bounded by the sea on the south, and the south east. To the east it has land boundries with the counties of Waterford and tipperary, to the North with Limerick, and to the west with Kerry. At the time my ancestors were living in Ireland they were part of the labouring poor. Many  inhabited one room mud built cabins with an unglazed window aperture and a smoke hole instead of a chimney. There diet was equally miserable, often almost only potatoes.

As I look at pictures of Ireland I see beauty, but as I read statements about Ireland in the mid 1800's and how my ancestors lived I do not see beauty. I see a poor group of people who traveled the ocean for a better life. No matter what their struggles were to get here and what happened to them after they got here was still better than what they left as far as living conditions.

Chances my Gallaghers and Dalys came from that same area and their lives were the same as the Riordans.
 On my to do list is to see if I can find out where my Gallaghers and Dalys were living in Ireland before immigrating to the US. When they immigrated and on what ship they came on. .

If you think you may be related to me through these names or any others listed I would love to hear from you. Grace

Surname Saturday Daly Family Searching For My Andrew Daly

Tonight for Surname Saturday the next name up is Daly. This will be quick and simple since I do not know much about this name.
My grandmother Grace's mother Katherine was involved with a Andrew Daly of the LaCrosse Wisconsin or Winona Minnesota area in the early 1890's. She became pregnant in 1892, but they did not marry. She had my grandmother mid 1893 and within a few months married Appleton Esler who raised my grandmother as his daughter.
My grandmother did not talk about Andrew, only stating that he was a bum and went to Chicago. I do not believe this and think she was embarrassed to let us know the truth.
It was not until after she died that I found out about Andrew Daly from my mother and uncle. I do know she met him once at the funeral of Katherine's brother Bill after he had an accidental death.

I am still trying to figure out exactly who my Andrew Daly is. I have a idea from the census but hope some day someone will recognize his picture.

Thanks for stopping by for Surname Saturday.. Grace

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun: Who Is Your MRUA? My Search For Andrew Daly

Randy Seaver over at Genea-Musings has issued another Saturday Night Genealogy Fun challenge: Who is your MRUA - your Most Recent Unknown Ancestor? Have you looked at your research files recently for this unknown person? What offline or online sources might you search to help you identify your MRUA?

My is number 14 on my Pedigree Chart His name is Andrew Daly and he is the father of my grandmother.

This is my super brick wall. My grandmother Grace was born in July of 1892 in Minnesota, but her mother never married her father. My great grandmother did marry in December of 1893, to a wonderful man who raised my grandmother as his own.

I was never really told much about my grandmother's birth father while growing up.They did tell me his name. We were led to believe that he was a no good scoundrel who took off for Chicago. I wish my grandmother would have talked about him, but she was of another generation. That is all we got, he was no good and went to Chicago.

It was not until my mother and uncle were getting older that they finally pulled out a picture of him some time in 2000.

My darling uncle even whispered "Our little mama was illegitimate."At least we have a name and a picture.

This is my great grandfather. His name is Andrew Daly . I really doubt he went to Chicago.

I tried to get my grandmother's birth certificate but no luck as there is none available to the public.

I have searched the census in the area where I think he may have lived and may have found him. I believe he lived and died in La Crosse Wisconsin/ Winona Minnesota area. I even found a cemetery in the area with a grave with the same name as his.

But until I find some one with the same photo on the Internet I will really never know that I have found him.

All I have is this photo of a handsome young man. His name is Andrew and he is one of my grandfathers.

He probably was a good man for some reason they never married. He probably married , had children and died.

I do know he saw my grandma Grace at least once. My great grandma's brother had died in an accident in 1911. Andrew came to the funeral. I am told my great grandma said " Andrew this is our Grace"

How I wish my grandma Grace had talked about him and anything else she may have known about him and his family. She never did and this one photo is all I have of him.

One day I will search further on this Andrew Daly and see if I can find links on http://www.ancestry.com/ of his kin. From there maybe I can find a picture and either confirm it is him or I have hit another brick wall.

Go to http://www.geneamusings.com/2009/11/saturday-night-genealogy-fun-who-is.html to read about others brick walls. Thanks for stopping by and have a great night.

Who Were My Great Grand Parents Part 3 Andrew Daly

For part 3 to this series I am reposting my brick wall post. This is Andrew Daly he was my grandmother's father. This is all I know for now.

This is my super brick wall. My grandmother Grace was born in July of 1892 in Minnesota, but her mother never married her father. Great grandmother did marry in December of 1893, to a wonderful man who raised my grandmother as his own.
I was never really told much about my grandmother's birth father while growing up.They did tell me his name. We were led to believe that he was a no good scoundrel who took off for Chicago. I wish my grandmother would have talked about him, but she was of another generation. That is all we got, he was no good and went to Chicago.It was not until my mother and uncle were getting older that they finally pulled out a picture of him some time in 2000. My darling uncle even whispered "Our little mama was illegitimate."At least we have a name and a picture. This is one of my great grandfather's. His name is Andrew. I really doubt he went to Chicago.I tried to get my grandmother's birth certificate but no luck as there is none available to the public. I have searched the census in the area where I think he may have lived and may have found him. I even found a cemetery in the area with a grave with the same name as his.But until I find some one with the same photo on the Internet I will really never know that I have found him. All I have is this photo of a handsome young man. His name is Andrew and he is one of my grandfathers. For what ever reason they never married. He probably was a good man who moved on after he and my great grandma never got together. He probably married , had children and died.I do know he saw my grandma Grace at least once. My great grandma's brother had died in an accident in 1911. Andrew came to the funeral. My great grandma said " Andrew this is our Grace"How I wish my grandma Grace had talked about him and anything else she may have known about him and his family. She never did and this one photo is all I have .